Lever



Dec. 1, 1936. 5 SNELL 2,062,768

LEVER Filed April 30, 1932 Inven'l'or' :a/We/ A we Patented Dec. 1, 1936UNITED STATES LEVER Samuel A. Snell, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to TheBingham Stamping & Tool Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication April 30, 1932, Serial No. 608,399

3Claiml.

This invention relates to levers and particularly to those levers of thetype utilized for the controls of an automotive vehicle or othermechanism.

The invention has for an object the provision of a lever of thischaracter which may be stamped from a sheet of material and subsequentlyformed into desired configuration whereby the costs of assembly aresubstantially decreased.

The invention also embraces the provision of a lever formed from sheetmaterial incorporating a simple and effective means for retaining orlocking the lever in desired operative position as well as means foreasily and quickly releasing the locking means.

The invention contemplates the use of a supplemental lever as a lockreleasing operating means in combination with a hollow lever formed ofsheet metal.

An object of the invention is the provision of novel means for mountingthe lever upon a part of the vehicle. as for example, floor boards orportions of the chassis or frame construction.

A further object is the provision of a mounting for a lever used as a.control member in the vehicle wherein the opening in the leversupporting portion of the vehicle accommodating and providing theoperating space for the lever may be reduced to a minimum.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this inventionsuch as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the relatedelements of the structure, to various details of construction and tocombination of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufactureand numerous other features as will beapparent from a consideration ofthe specification and drawings of certain forms of the invention, whichmay be preferred, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a lever of my inventionparticularly illustrating the mounting means therefor, the locking meansand the lock releasing means; I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary yiew of the upper portion of the lever,certain parts being shown in section and illustrating in detail thelever lock releasing means;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the lever lock releasingmeans in releasing position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 ofFigure 1.

While I have illustrated a form of 'the lever of my invention asparticularly adapted for use in the control of braking mechanism of anautomotive vehicle, it is to be understood that I do not wish to limitthe invention to the particular disclosure illustrated and that Icontemplate its use wherever the same may be found to be applicable.

, Referring to the drawing in detail, the lever I comprises a hollowbody portion II and a hollow handle portion 12 being integrally formedand blanked or stamped from a fiat sheet of metal-or other suitablematerial, the stamped configuration being subsequently formed into asubstantially tubular formation. The body portion ll of the lever in theembodiment illustrated is substantially oval in cross section asparticularly indicated in Figure 5, while the handle portion 12 ispreferably of circular contour in cross section. -In forming the leverto the configuration particularly illustrated in Figure 5, the edges ofthe blank are abutted as at M to form a substantially closed seam whichwill remain closed without the necessity of welding or use of othersecuring means, the inherent stress of the metal being sufficient tomaintain such closure yet providing a rigid and durable construction.The lower portion of the lever body I l is formed with oppositelydisposed leg portions l6 which are provided with aligned openings toreceive a pivot pin or bolt I'I forming the fulcrum for the lever, thebolt ll passing through an opening in an upwardly extending portion l ofa supporting bracket I8 the depending leg portions I6 straddling aportion of the member l8, the latter having an arcuate or sector-likesurface serrated as at IS. The supporting member or bracket I8 isprovided with a pair of laterally projecting ears 20, having openingsadapted to receive bolts 22 for fixedly securing the bracket to thevehicle floor board 23 or other suitable part of the vehicle framestructure.

In the embodiment illustrated, the floor board 23 is fabricated of woodhaving an upper lining 24 of metal, but it is to be understood that ininstallations where metal floor elements only are used, the bracket l8may be secured directly thereto. It should be noted that the lever bodyll projects through an opening 26 in the floor board, and as the pivotalpoint or fulcrum ll of the lever H is in substantial alignment with theupper uniplanar surface of the floor board, the opening 26 need onlyallow slight clearance to accommodate the lever, as there is no lateralmovement of the lever at this point by reasonof the particularpositioning of the pivotal support for the lever. In this form of levermounting, the usual clearance opening in the floor board to accommodatemovement of the lever may be dispensed with, thus substantiallyeliminating the entrance of cold air, dust and other foreign matter intothe vehicle body at this point,

The depending portions 3 are provided with another set of alignedopenings adapted to receive a pin 28, this pin also passing through aconnecting yoke 29, adapted in the embodiment shown, for pivotallyconnecting the brake rod 30 to the lever. The bracket I8 is providedwith a comparatively large aperture 32 to accommodate the pin 28 in anyadjusted position of the lever.

The portions of the depending legs l6 of the lever body extending belowthe serrated surface iii of the bracket l8 are provided with alignedopenings to receive a pin 34, which pin forms a pivotal support for apawl or suitable lever locking member 35, one end of the pawlcooperating with serrations I9 of the bracket I8 to hold the lever inadjusted positions.

A projecting extremity 36 of the pawl 35 is connected to an operatingrod 31 which extends upwardly through the hollow body portion of thelever and terminates at a point adjacent the lower extremity of thehandle portion l2. Surrounding the rod 31 is a member or bushing 40preferably of non-metallic material, as for example, rubber, whichserves to dampen vibrations of the rod which might be caused by rodirregularities, engine vibrations and the like by preventing engagementof the rod directly with the inner walls of the lever body. At thistermination of the operating rod 31,,the lever body is formed with apair of laterally projecting ears 38 having openings therein to receivea pivot pin 39 which may bea bolt, rivet or other suitable member.Pivoted upon the bolt 39 is a substantially L-shaped rod actuatingmember 4| preferably formed of sheet metal, the upwardly extendingportion 42 thereof being of concave or spoon-like formation. Thisconcave formation not only improves the appearance of the actuatingmember, but also enables a better grip to be had upon the member by theoperator. The horizontal portions of the member 4| have alignedapertures which receive a pin 44, the latter passing through openings 45in the walls of the body portion l of the lever and also through an eye46 formed on the upper end of the pawl operating rod 31. The openings-45 in the walls of the lever may be of either circular or longitudinalformation, but the uppermost walls of the openings are preferablyutilized to form a stop means to prevent the actuating member 42 of thereleasing mechanism to come into engagement with the handle portion 2 cfthe lever, Figure 3 particularly illustrating the relative location ofthe actuating member 4| with respect to the handle portion |2 of thelever in releasing position with the pin 44 in contact with the upperwalls of openings 45. In order to normally urge the pawl 35 into lockingengagement with the serrations IQ of the bracket I8, an expansive springmember 48 is arranged between two'projections 50 and formed upon orcarried by the handle portion |2 and the pawl rod actuating member 4|respectively, the projections 50 and 5| serving to prevent a derangementof the spring member.

In the operation of my device, as illustrated particularly in Figure 1in full lines, the lever is substantially in brake releasing positionwith the pawl 35 in engagement with one of the serrations IQ of thebracket l8, the spring 48 serving to urge the grip or handle portion 42of the pawl rod actuating member 4| away from the handle portion |2 ofthe lever, as illustrated in Figure 2, with the pin 44 at its lowermostposition. The lever may be moved to brake setting position shown indotted lines in Figure 1 by imparting a clockwise movement to the lever.Due to the particular formation of serrations IS in bracket I8, it isnot essential that the grip member 42 be manually moved toward thehandle member I2 when the brakes are to be moved to set position, as thepawl 35, upon clockwise movement of the lever about its fulcrum, ridesprogressively over the teeth formed by the serrations l9, and when thelever has been moved to desired position the pawl 35 engages the properserration in the bracket Hi to prevent the release of the brakes orother mechanism with which my invention may be used.

When it is desired to release the brake or other mechanism, the pawl rodactuating member 4| is gripped by the operator and moved to the positionwith respect to the handle |2 illustrated-in Figure 3, thus elevatingthe operating rod 31, causing a clockwise pivotal movement of pawl 35about the pin 34. This movement withdraws the pawl 35 out of the path ofthe serrated portion IQ of bracket l8, after which the lever may befreely moved about its fulcrum pin I! to releasing or other desiredposition.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention modifications anddifferent arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, andthe present disclosure is illustrative merely, the inventioncomprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a brake leverthe combination of a hollow sheet metal member havinga tubular body portion and a tubular handle portion, said tubular handleportion being angularly arranged with respect to said body portion andhaving an opening in one wall thereof; a pair of ears integral with thesheet metal member and projecting from the junction of said body andhandle portions; a rod within said hollow body portion; an operatingelement for said rod having portions straddling said hollow member andbeing pivotally connected to said ears; and a spring between said handleportion and said operating element, said spring extending through theopening in said handle portion.

2. In a brake lever the combination of a hollow sheet metal memberhaving a tubular body portion and a tubular handle portion, said tubularhandle portion having a projection formed interiorly thereof, and havingan opening in one of its walls; a rod within said hollow body portion;an operating element for said rod having portions straddling said hollowmember and being pivotally connected thereto, said operating elementhaving a projection integral therewith; and a spring between theprojections of said handle portion and said operating element, saidspring extending through the opening in said handle portion.

3. In a brake lever of a combination of a hollow sheet metal memberhaving a tubular body portion and a tubular handle portion, said handleportion being angularly arranged with respect to said body portion; oneend of the body portion of said lever terminating in a bifurcatedconfiguration; a pawl pivoted to the bifurcated portion of said lever; arod positioned within the hollow through registering openings in theside walls of said body portion, said rod being connected to ,said pinwithin said lever body; and spring means interposed between handleportion and said pawl operating lever for urging the rod in onedirection. 5

SAMUEL A. SNELL.

